System and method for an ambient atmosphere ion thruster

Abstract

A system and a method for an ambient atmosphere ion thruster having a pair of permeable electrical members for accelerating ambient atmosphere ions which enter the thruster due to a craft's relative velocity. Neutral ambient atmosphere molecules in the intake mass flux may also be ionized and subsequently accelerated by the pair of permeable electrical members. Acceleration of any entering mass comprises an exhaust mass flux which then produces a net thrust. Such net thrust is then vectored by configuring and orienting the thrusters for imparting axial and lateral accelerations as well as pitch, yaw, and roll controls. The present invention is operational in proximity to any celestial body having a sensible atmosphere during a portion of the free trajectory or during orbiting at altitude. Useful net thrust is thereby produced without need for carrying reaction mass onboard a spacecraft.

1. An ambient atmosphere ion thruster system for propelling a craft, said system comprising
 at least one ambient atmosphere ion thruster, 
 
       the at least one ambient atmosphere ion thruster comprising at least one pair of permeable electrical members, the at least one pair of permeable electrical members comprising a forward permeable electrical member for receiving ambient atmosphere reaction mass and an aft permeable electrical member, the forward permeable electrical member and the aft permeable electrical member, each having an opposing polarity in relation to one another, for accelerating a plurality of ambient atmosphere reaction mass ions, 
       the at least one ambient atmosphere ion thruster being mounted to the craft for imparting reaction force thereto, said craft having no on-board supply of reaction mass and no lift force applied thereto, and 
       at least one reaction force being imparted to the craft by accelerating the plurality of ambient atmosphere ions. 
     
     
       2. A system, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one insulating support structure for mechanically connecting the at least one ambient atmosphere ion thruster to the craft, the at least one insulating support structure having at least one electrical feed for electrically connecting the at least one pair of permeable electrical members to an electrical power source. 
     
     
       3. A system, as recited in  claim 1 , 
       wherein each member of the at least one pair of permeable electrical members is mechanically connected to one another, 
       wherein a plurality of ambient atmosphere constituents, being intercepted by the at least one pair of permeable electrical members, comprises an intake mass flux, and
 wherein a plurality of accelerated ambient atmosphere ions, imparting the reaction force to the craft, comprises an exhaust mass flux. 
 
     
     
       4. A system, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein two ambient atmosphere ion thrusters are fixedly mounted to opposing sides of the craft to each orient an electric field for cooperatively boosting, deboosting, and attitude-controlling the craft along a single axis. 
     
     
       5. A system, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein four ambient atmosphere ion thrusters are fixedly mounted to opposing vertices of the craft to each orient an electric field for cooperatively boosting, deboosting, and attitude-controlling the craft along two axes. 
     
     
       6. A system, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein two ambient atmosphere ion thrusters are rotatably mounted to opposing sides of the craft to each orient an electric field for cooperatively boosting, deboosting, and attitude-controlling the craft along two axes as well as for laterally thrusting the craft. 
     
     
       7. A system, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein four ambient atmosphere ion thrusters are rotatably mounted to a set of locations selected from a group consisting essentially of generally opposing vertices of the craft and generally opposing surfaces of the craft to each orient an electric field for cooperatively boosting, deboosting, and attitude-controlling the craft along three axes as well as for laterally thrusting the craft. 
     
     
       8. A system, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a single annular ambient atmosphere ion thruster is fixedly mounted to the craft to orient an electric field for boosting and deboosting the craft. 
     
     
       9. A system, as recited in  claim 1 , 
       wherein four ambient atmosphere ion thrusters are fixedly mounted to a set of locations selected from a group consisting essentially of generally opposing vertices of the craft and generally opposing surfaces of the craft, and 
       wherein one opposing pair of the four thrusters is fixedly mounted to the craft in a plane perpendicular to that of the remaining opposing pair of thrusters to each orient an electric field for cooperatively boosting, deboosting, and attitude-controlling the craft along two axes as well as for laterally thrusting. 
     
     
       10. A system, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one means for reversing the polarity of the at least one pair of permeable electrical members for reversing thrust. 
     
     
       11. A system, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one ambient atmosphere ion thruster is operable in a path selected from a group consisting essentially of an orbit proximal to any celestial body having a sensible atmosphere and in a free trajectory having a portion traversing a sensible atmosphere. 
     
     
       12. An ambient atmosphere ion thruster system for propelling a craft, said system comprising
 at least one ambient atmosphere ion thruster, 
 
       the at least one ambient atmosphere ion thruster comprising at least one pair of permeable electrical members, the at least one pair of permeable electrical members comprising a forward permeable electrical member for receiving ambient atmosphere reaction mass and an aft permeable electrical member, the forward permeable electrical member and the aft permeable electrical member, each having an opposing polarity in relation to one another, for accelerating a plurality of ambient atmosphere reaction mass ions, 
       the at least one ambient atmosphere ion thruster being mounted to the craft for imparting reaction force thereto, said craft having no on-board supply of reaction mass and no lift force applied thereto, and 
       at least one reaction force being imparted to the craft by accelerating the plurality of ambient atmosphere ions; 
       at least one auxiliary ionizing device selected from a group consisting essentially of an electron bombardment ionizer, a radio frequency ionizer, a microwave ionizer, an extreme ultraviolet ionizer, a flash lamp ionizer, and a magnetic field ionizer for ionizing any un-ionized constituents in the ambient atmosphere. 
     
     
       13. A system, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one electromagnetic field modifying device selected from a group consisting essentially of a permanent magnet and an electromagnetic field projector for modifying the electromagnetic field of the plurality of ambient atmosphere ions. 
     
     
       14. A system, as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising at least one electromagnetic field modifying device selected from a group consisting essentially of a permanent magnet and an electromagnetic field projector for modifying the electromagnetic field of the plurality of ambient atmosphere ions. 
     
     
       15. A system, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pair of permeable electrical members comprises at least one electrical component selected from a group consisting essentially of at least one pair of electrical grids and at least one pair of porous electromagnetic structures. 
     
     
       16. A system, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one ambient atmosphere ion thruster operates in a low Earth orbit in a range of approximately 200 km to approximately 1000 kin. 
     
     
       17. A system, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one ambient atmosphere ion thruster operates in a low Earth orbit in a range of approximately 300 km to approximately 1000 km. 
     
     
       18. An ambient atmosphere ion thruster system for propelling a craft, said system comprising
 at least one ambient atmosphere ion thruster, 
 
       the at least one ambient atmosphere ion thruster comprising at least one pair of permeable electrical members, the at least one pair of permeable electrical members comprising a forward permeable electrical member for receiving ambient atmosphere reaction mass and an aft permeable electrical member, the forward permeable electrical member and the aft permeable electrical member, each having an opposing polarity in relation to one another, for accelerating a plurality of ambient atmosphere reaction mass ions, 
       the at least one ambient atmosphere ion thruster being mounted to the craft for imparting reaction force thereto, said craft having no on-board supply of reaction mass and no lift force applied thereto, and
 at least one reaction force being imparted to the craft by accelerating the plurality of ambient atmosphere ions; and 
 
       an electron gun for neutralizing any net operational charge buildup on the craft due to operation of the at least one thruster. 
     
     
       19. A system, as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising an electron gun for neutralizing any net operational charge buildup on the craft due to operation of the at least one thruster. 
     
     
       20. A system, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one thruster is mounted to the craft in a disposition selected from a group consisting essentially of outboard and inboard. 
     
     
       21. An ambient atmosphere ion thruster system for propelling a craft, said system comprising
 at least one ambient atmosphere ion thruster, 
 
       the at least one ambient atmosphere ion thruster comprising at least one pair of permeable electrical members, the at least one pair of permeable electrical members comprising a forward permeable electrical member for receiving ambient atmosphere reaction mass and an aft permeable electrical member, the forward permeable electrical member and the aft permeable electrical member, each having an opposing polarity in relation to one another, for accelerating a plurality of ambient atmosphere reaction mass ions, 
       the at least one ambient atmosphere ion thruster being mounted to the craft for imparting reaction force thereto, said craft having no on-board supply of reaction mass and no lift force applied thereto, 
       at least one means for reversing the polarity of the at least one pair of permeable electrical members for reversing thrust, and 
       at least one reaction force being imparted to the craft by accelerating the plurality of ambient atmosphere ions. 
     
     
       22. A system as recited in  claim 1  or  claim 21 , wherein the ambient atmosphere reaction mass comprises at least one specie selected from the group consisting of hydrogen (H 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ), oxygen (O 2 ), monatomic hydrogen (H), monatomic nitrogen (N), monatomic oxygen (O), helium (He), argon (Ar), methane (CH 4 ), xenon (Xe), ionized hydrogen atoms or molecules, ionized nitrogen atoms or molecules, ionized oxygen atoms or molecules, ionized helium, ionized argon, ionized methane and ionized xenon, any and all of which exist as a result of natural processes that are independent of the presence or operation of the at least one ambient atmosphere ion thruster.